This episode of Imagine What’s Next features Michael Kanazawa, EY Global Innovation Realized Leader, and EY Americas Consulting Growth Strategy Leader who also leads the EY wavespace innovation labs. It can be a challenge for leaders to pause the urgency of what is happening right now in favor of speculating about and planning for the possibilities of the future. But when disruption is staring businesses down, there is no other option than to make space for the far-reaching concepts regarding innovation and future-planning that are fast approaching.

Together with Daniel Forrester, Michael highlights the power of keeping short-termism in balance with long-term goals. He considers ways that leaders are limiting imagination, creativity, and human ingenuity in their team and the needed conversations that encourage inspiration for the brilliant minds that are walking through the halls of an incumbent organization. They discuss the power of future-back thinking, which demands a look at the micro disruptors that have the potential to transform the future of innovation and consider the value of looking to our thousand-year history for effective strategies that will enable humans to better face our future.

Key Takeaways:

[1:31] Michael’s interest in innovation stemmed from his childhood desire to create something out of nothing.

[5:05] Future back strategies focus on transformation in the face of technology disruption.

[9:02] A look inside what happens to C-suite leaders when they are given the opportunity to peer into the future.

[13:30] Michael’s 70-20-10 recommendation for the time allotted to future thinking versus focusing on the now.

[19:20] Keeping short-termism in balance with the long-term goals of an entrepreneurial mindset.

[25:30] The challenges of evoking inspiration in people while balancing a short-term execution of business demands.

[30:48] Michael’s advice for leaders who are committed to transformation beyond the valley of despair.

[36:50] Navigating a moonshot project starts with understanding the greater long-term objectives.

[44:43] The value of looking to our thousand-year history for insights when preparing for the future.

Daniel Forrester

Podfly Productions

Continue the Journey:

Michael Kanazawa

Daniel Forrester’s new edX Course — Generating Vision: Long-Term Big Ideas That Motivate Employees and Stakeholders

This episode of Imagine What’s Next features Richard Fisher, BBC Future journalist and author of The Long View. A long-term view is essential to the successful future of our planet and people, but too many of today’s world leaders are unwilling to consider the long view in exchange for the immediate gratification of short-termism. There are countless problems that can be addressed and possibly even solved with a long view, from climate change to growing inequality. While staying trapped in the present only prevents us from tackling these problems, the long view allows us to consider things not only as they are but as they could become. Together with Daniel Forrester, Richard highlights the importance of embracing a long view that will benefit our descendants, the insights he gained while researching his book, and areas of potential improvement, including where energies need to be focused as, globally, we move into a better future.

Key Takeaways:

[1:10] Richard recalls the events that culminated in the writing of The Long View and highlights his focus as a BBC Future journalist.

[5:25] Approaching the notion of time with an understanding of deep time and structured thinking.

[8:40] Insights into the cultural forces that shape our view of time and what makes the longevity perspective of Japan a powerful outlier.

[13:16] The psychology of mental time travel and how it can be implemented in business strategies.

[20:02] Multigenerational thinking and Jonas Salk’s vision of a “good ancestor” informed Richard’s impactful future population diagram.

[25:38] The most surprising studies and research that Richard examined while writing his book.

[29:08] Insights from the book highlight the myopic limitations of infrastructure short-termism and potential next steps to move toward a long-view reform.

[34:08] The future of capitalism and delaying gratification in favor of an achieved long-term vision.

[38:00] Encouraging conclusions from the book that continue to hold Richard’s attention.

[44:01] The inspiring message that Richard would share with one of his future descendants.

Daniel Forrester

Podfly Productions

Continue the Journey:

Richard Fisher

The Long View: Why We Need to Transform How the World Sees Time

Daniel Forrester’s new edX Course — Generating Vision: Long-Term Big Ideas That Motivate Employees and Stakeholders

In this episode of Imagine What’s Next, Thruline Incorporated Principal Business Strategist Thomas P.M. Barnett sits down with Daniel Forrester to discuss globalization and his new book America’s New Map. As the global superpower that has shaped the history of the world over the last century unlike any other country, the United States continues to set globalization standards high and keep the system moving forward. The stakes have never been higher for the United States to maintain power and global positioning, but what does the future hold for globalization and the U.S.? Together Daniel and Thomas discuss the highlights of Thomas’s career as a geostrategist and deep thinker, the critical role of the United States as a market maker as well as a market player, and the message that future U.S. globalization success will send to the rest of the world.

Key Takeaways:

[1:40] Globalization and America’s role within it has been the focus of Thomas Barnett’s career.

[2:54] The influencers that have shaped Thomas’s views and his description of the audacity of an American new map.

[6:14] The impact that pattern recognition of the systemic failures of the rise and fall of the Soviet Union had on Thomas’s worldview.

[12:20] A visionary perspective resulted in outcast feelings until Thomas connected with the right mentors.

[15:10] Insights into the pre-9/11 rulesets project that addressed potential threats to globalization.

[22:08] A look inside the psyche of an executive who is focused on strategic foresight.

[26:40] The future of military challenges and opportunities as addressed by Arthur Cebrowski.

[33:10] Rule set resets and why they matter when handling domestic and foreign crises.

[38:45] Insights from America’s New Map and how the U.S. is shaped by globalization.

[44:48] The single question Thomas would ask the next leader of the free world.

Daniel Forrester

Podfly Productions

Continue the Journey:

Thomas P.M. Barnett

America’s New Map: Restoring Our Global Leadership in an Era of Climate Change and Demographic Collapse

Daniel Forrester’s new edX Course — Generating Vision: Long-Term Big Ideas That Motivate Employees and Stakeholders